JUNE 2024 CHEESE CLUB

 
 

 WINE CLUB | CHEESE CLUB

ALL CLUB MEMBERS GET TO ENJOY THESE 3 CHEESES:

It’s Washington Cheese Month, so our lineup this month is all from Washington! Note that high moisture cheese does not have an extensive shelf-life, so it’s best to eat these cheeses sooner than later (I mean, why wouldn’t you?!).

Cherry Valley Dairy Rose Herb Butter | Duvall, Washington, USA

Pasteurized cow’s milk

First up, we have some of the best butter produced in our entire state. Summer butter is the best butter, as the cows are grazing outside in meadow pasture (in the case of Cherry Valley) where they are consuming native grasses, herbs, flowers, and whatever else they choose to munch. It is clean and bright and not at all foddery (I made up this word), as they are dining on fresh, summer fare. The rose petals and garrigue-type herbs add an extra “ahh” element to the butter. Try it on milk chocolate or spread it on radishes from your garden.

From this month’s wine club lineup, this cheese pairs well with: 2022 Skouras 'Zoe' Rosé

Thai Garlic Chevre | Olympia, Washington, USA

Pasteurized goat cheese

Made from spring milk, this chevre from Lost Peacock Creamery is fresh and bright with a waft of alliums from the added thai garlic and a spicy kick in the back palate. Something unique about Lost Peacock Creamery is that they refuse to let any of their animals be purchased for food (unless it’s for cheesemaking). None of their babies are slaughtered, which is rare for a farmstead creamery. Furthermore, their does are treated like queens, which makes for better milk (and more of it!).
Try it with: Corvezzo - Terre Di Marca Rosé NV

Samish Bay Ladysmith | Skagit Valley, Washington, USA

Pasteurized cow’s milk
This farmer’s style cheese is laden with arugula. This fresh, clean, springy-textured goodie hails from lush, undulating fields where the cows are consuming all the best vegetation. This cheese has a high moisture content, and it is normal for a little whey to seep out in its container. Fear not, it’s normal! Slice Ladysmith into thin pieces and serve on apples and cucumbers.
Try it with: 2023 David Hill Estate Pinot Noir Le Rosé

6-CHEESE MEMBERS ALSO GET TO ENJOY THESE 3:

Le Severac | Auvergne, France

Raw cow's milk
This rustic tommette hails from the heart of the ancient volcanic, undulating landscape. Le Severac has been made by hand by the same family for over a century. Produced with milk from the esteemed Salers breed, this cheese sings its taste of place. It has a mottled, dusty-looking rind that encapsulates an aged and (let's face it) cerebral fromage. The aromatics are cavernous, clean, and reminiscent of a forest floor--vegetal, lively, woodsy, and then some.
Try it with: 2021 Viña Maitia ‘Aupa’ Pipeño Rosé

Taleggio | Lombardy, Italy

Cow’s milk
This washed-rind tile is a perfect cheese for folks attempting to delve deeper into the stinky cheese genre. It’s a gateway washed rind, with its waft of yeast and buttermilk, and silky, coating paste that melts like a dream (if you so choose to melt it!). Note the orange rind. This is a failsafe indicator that the exterior has been treated with a brine of some sort—in Taleggio’s case, it is a straight up salt solution, though oftentimes brines for smear-ripening can contain alcohol as well. Surface mold development is common on this cheese, so do not be afraid. Those molds help to impart flavors and aromas, and they are a sign that your cheese is alive and thriving!
Try it with: 2023 Domaine Chateaumar - Perle de Rosé

Weydeland Rijck | Westbeemster, The Netherlands

Pasteurized cow’s milk
This well-matured Dutch Gouda comes from a production facility that utilizes milk from local, small, sustainable farms. Its production has been around for more than a hundred years, so these cheese makers have perfected this recipe. This cheese is a testament to the efforts of these producers to utilize the best milk, which starts with maintaining a healthful grazing environment and humane treatment of the cows. Happy cows=delicious cheese (or kaas in Dutch). This cheese is aged for nearly five years, so note the pop-rocksy texture in the paste.
Try it with: 2023 Bodegas Latúe Tempranillo

 
 

AND SOME TIPS TO KEEP YOUR CHEESE HAPPY AT HOME

  • Protect your cheese from drying out by keeping it in your fridge in a lidded container (like tupperware), a plastic baggie, or the crisper drawer.

  • After opening, always use fresh plastic wrap for any cheese you’re not planning to eat within a day, unless it’s being kept in a container (which we recommend).

  • In general, we suggest eating your cheese within a week or so of purchasing. Some cheeses will last longer, but, you know, why wait!

  • Keep bloomy rinds and blues separated when possible. The molds are quite zealous and will grow on any cheese they can latch onto, so just keep them in separate containers and you’ll be fine.

  • A word about mold: If it’s growing on your semi-firm or firm cheeses, just cut it off and eat it! This white and blue mold is just fine — these cheeses lack the water to host the nasty molds. But if mold is growing on your fresh mozzarella, feta, cream cheese, or fresh chèvre, throw it out.  The amount of water in these cheeses provides a great environment for the nasty stuff. If you start to see mold, you can be sure that the filaments are already running throughout the cheese :(

  • For the best flavors, take your cheese out of the fridge for an hour or so before serving. When cheeses are too cold, all their delicious flavors, aromas, and textures get shy. Serve at room temperature to enjoy to the fullest.

This month’s cheese was carefully curated by Seattle’s Resident Cheese Lady, Rachael Lucas, ACS CCP, CCSE. Rachael is a cheese buyer for the Ballinger Thriftway in Shoreline, a fromage writer for tastewashingtontravel.com, and she’s on the Board of Directors for WASCA (Washington State Cheesemaker’s Association).